Doctoral education at the Department of Medicine, Solna

Application to establish a doctoral position

The researcher who wants to become the main supervisor applies* to establish a doctoral position.

• Applications can be submitted continuously to Eva Noréns, education officer for doctoral education at the Department of Medicine, Solna.
• The application is jointly assessed by the director of studies, education officer for doctoral education, head of administration, chief accountant, and, if necessary, by the department's doctoral education committee. Supervision and doctoral education environment are assessed according to KI's rules for doctoral education.
• Decisions usually come within two to three weeks.

*The application must include:

1. Form Establishment of doctoral position.
2. Form Application for green light. 
   (Forms 1-2 can be found on the page Forms - doctoral education.)
3. Research plan containing background, research questions, methods, planned studies and significance (approx. 5 pages including references), as well as a preliminary timetable for the PhD student.
    
4. CVs of all supervisors (max 2 pages per supervisor).
5. Description of the supervisors' roles: 
   a. Does the main supervisor have the ability to provide good supervision? 
   b. Can the proposed co-supervisors contribute complementary expertise?
    
6. Description of the doctoral education environment: 
   a. What is the presence of supervisors in the group (full-time or part-time, physical workplace, etc.)? 
   b. How many doctoral students are currently supervised? 
   c. Are there opportunities for contacts with other doctoral students and researchers, for example through networking activities, seminars, etc.? 
   d. Is there support for the doctoral student's studies, for example in the form of postdocs, statisticians, biomedical analysts, and other researchers? 
   e. Are there opportunities for international exchange/contacts?
7. Form Financial plan for doctoral student (can be found on the page Forms - doctoral education).
8. If there is an exception from advertisement (see below under the heading Recruitment): Attach documents that support any exception from the announcement requirement, for example employment certificates.

Announcement of doctoral position

When an application to establish a doctoral position has been approved, recruitment is carried out. Recruitment for approved doctoral positions with employment at KI is done through announcement and advertisement. When recruiting a doctoral student, the supervisor contacts the department's doctoral education officer, Eva Noréns. 

All advertised doctoral positions at KI are listed on the page Available positions at KI.

Exemptions from announcement are granted only when:

1. The doctoral student will undergo doctoral education within the framework of employment with an employer other than the university (e.g., Region Stockholm, another university, or a company).
2. The doctoral student has previously started their doctoral education at another institution.
3. There are similar special reasons, such as educational positions where the doctoral student has already been selected in a competitive recruitment process.

More Information: Additional information about recruitment, selection, and assessment criteria can be found on the page Recruit doctoral students on KI's collected pages about doctoral education.

Assessment of eligibility

For advertised doctoral positions:

1. The applicant uploads documents in the recruitment system Varbi according to the instructions in the advertisement.
2. Officers at the university administration assess the eligibility of all applicants.
3. Selection process: see Assessment of suitability and ability on the page Admission to doctoral education at KI on KI's collected pages about doctoral education. Note that selection is only made among eligible applicants.
4. When a candidate has been selected, officers at the university administration issue a so-called eligibility statement for the relevant person. This should then be attached as a basis for the admission decision.

When exemptions from the announcement requirement apply:

1. The supervisor is contacted by the department's doctoral education officer, Eva Noréns, who gives the doctoral candidate access to the recruitment system Varbi.
2. The doctoral candidate uploads the requested documents according to the instructions in Varbi.
3. Officers at the university administration assess the eligibility of the relevant person.
4. If the doctoral candidate has the right eligibility, a so-called eligibility statement is issued, which should be attached as a basis for the admission decision (see below under the heading Admission decision).

More information: Detailed information about eligibility can be found on the page The general entry requirement for doctoral education on KI's collected pages about doctoral education.

Application for decision

When the recruitment is completed, a formal admission decision must be made. The supervisor then applies for this with the form Decision on admission to doctoral education (available on the page Forms - doctoral education).

The application must include:

1. Admission form.
2. Eligibility statement from the university administration.
3. Description of the selection process.
4. The doctoral student's CV.
5. Certificate of supervisor training..

The head of the department decides on admissions to doctoral education on the recommendation of the department's director of studies. Decisions are made continuously and without any long waiting time once a candidate is selected and the recruitment is completed. Note that the date of the head of the department's decision does not have to be the same as the start date of studies (e.g., if the candidate has not yet arrived in Sweden).

More Information: Information about employment and funding of doctoral students can be found on the page Study funding for doctoral students on KI's collected pages about doctoral education.

Individual study plan

Each doctoral student must have an individual study plan (ISP) that describes the scientific project, the courses and other learning activities planned, and how the doctoral student will achieve the goals of their doctoral education. The study plan becomes the "map" that the doctoral student and supervisor will follow. A well-prepared ISP ensures that expectations are clear, providing good conditions for effective supervision.

Procedure:

1. No later than one month after the start of studies, a draft ISP should be available in the ISP system.
2. The department's director of studies checks that the ISP is correctly filled out and well-prepared.
3. ISP Seminar (see below)
4. The director of studies establishes the individual study plan. All doctoral students must have a established ISP no later than three months after the start of their studies.

More information, user manuals, and login to the ISP system can be found on the page ISP - Individual study plan on KI's collected pages about doctoral education.

ISP seminar

Purpose of the seminar:

• To serve as a start seminar and welcome the new doctoral student.
• Presentation of the research project from the doctoral student's perspective with the opportunity for feedback.
• A learning moment for the doctoral student.
• To help the department ensure that all doctoral students have an ISP.

The ISP seminar should be held in English and as an open seminar, preferably within the research division's regular seminar activities or as an open extra seminar. Invitations should be extended to participants outside the research group.

A suitable length for the seminar is 20–30 minutes. The focus of the presentation should be on the research plan and a description of the background, project/goals, timetable, and models to be used. It is also good to mention how the proposed supervisors are expected to contribute to the doctoral education.

Finalization of the study plan

Once the ISP seminar is completed, the doctoral education officer Eva Noréns should be notified so that the individual study plan can be finalized. 

The individual study plan should then be updated annually.

The links below lead to more detailed information on KI's collected pages about doctoral education.

Annual follow-up

An annual follow-up is conducted as a meeting between the doctoral student and the supervisor, resulting in an updated version of the doctoral student's individual study plan.

Half-time review

A half-time review should be conducted for each doctoral student who is to obtain a doctoral degree and should take place two years after registration or when the equivalent of two years of full-time doctoral education has been completed. The application is made by the doctoral student or the supervisor.

More information, as well as instructions and the application form, can be found on the page Half-time review.

Dissertation

The doctoral education concludes with a dissertation where the doctoral student defends their thesis. The entire process, checklists, and more can be found on the pages Time to defend your thesis..

Note that the department needs Form 9, Application for public defence or licentiate seminar, approximately 5 working days before it is to be submitted to the dissertation committee. It can be submitted by either the doctoral student or the supervisor. The dissertation application must be signed by the doctoral student and all supervisors and sent to the doctoral education officer Eva Noréns.